Childcare Expert Mina Swaminathan Passes Away at 89
By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Mina Swaminathan, a childcare expert, died of old age on February 14, 2022. She was 89 years old. Her spouse, agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan, and three daughters, five grandchildren, and a brother survive her.
She was an emeritus trustee of the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and chaired the committee that proposed the Integrated Child Care Development Scheme (ICDS) in Tamil Nadu.
Mina was a pioneer of mobile creches, a former chair of the Delhi Social Welfare Board, a founding member of the Centre for Women's Development Studies, and a UNICEF and UNESCO international consultant on early children care and education.
According to Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi, who expressed his condolences, Mina was a renowned teacher, educator, and writer. He stated that she would be recognised for her contributions to gender equality, women's welfare, and child development.
Chief Minister M K Stalin paid his respects at her home. “Mina Swaminathan is a great educationist and a multi-faceted person,” he added, offering condolences to the bereaved family,” Her death is an irreparable loss.”